The Promise Blog

The Disappointment That is Black Friday

Unless you were smart and stayed home, where more than 60% of shoppers turned online sales (from their phones!) into higher numbers than brick and mortar buildings can boast.

Jeff Bezos of Amazon finally reached over the $100 Billion mark. (Hey bro, I’m here for you if you need anything)

This leaves Bill Gates at a “measly” $89 Billion. The saddest thing I’ve heard all year.

If you went to Macy’s, who sponsors that one parade we all watch muted because it’s too loud over Thanksgiving Day brunch, then you were met with utter disappointment when their credit card machines failed. I can only imagine the Macy family wringing their hands over dried-out white turkey and sagging helium deflated balloons, since a similar problem happened last year, but not in store, online of all places! Their web site buckled under the pressure. Black Friday and Cyber Monday turned into their own personal Weekend de los Muertos for the department chain. Story HERE.

I made my purchases via Amazon (Jeff, I’m here for you, seriously), on Thanksgiving night, and went to bed knowing I didn’t have to go outside the next day. But of course that’s when I forgot I have a daughter who is almost 12 and Black Friday to a 12 year old is akin to waking up on Christmas morning.

So we went to the mall.

Scariest thing we’ve done all year.

People were lined up at Bath & Body Works for 3 hours, in Saint George, Utah? What the?

Teeming with people, I felt extra nervous we might be trampled to death by children wielding Starbucks peppermint frappuccinos in Lord of the Sith Star Wars masks.

And then my wife found a store that required each item be tried on 17 times before deciding… it’s not the one. I’m begging her to get something to prove we had been there, and that was a mistake. 3 hours later I was laying next to a garbage can conveniently placed beside the one portion of the mall couch not occupied by Uncle Eddie’s cousins.

To make matters worse, while I waited I checked my phone. And then my bank account. And that’s when I saw another sad tale – the refunds I had sent to those poor souls who purchased my online course I was going to make this year but never had a moment to do so, had all cashed their checks at once!

And that brings us to The Promise.

I had no chance of keeping the promise to my customers, wonderfully kind, amazing speakers hoping to get better with my training. I set my expectations so high, and theirs too, and failed miserably.

I know exactly how Macy’s feels and exactly the opposite of how Jeff Bezos feels (Seriously, bro, happy to help with anything you need).

And yet at least I kept the promise of saying I’m sorry. I’m sorry I let you down. I’m sorry my bandwidth was exceeded. I’m sorry I thought I could deliver something that literally could not be made in a year’s time.

I kept the promise, and with interest. Yes, I refunded them with interest. Why, because they could have put their money somewhere better, and in this economy if you’re not making money on interest then you had better find a better place to put your money!

Lessons learned on Black Friday?

Don’t go outside

Don’t go to the mall

Don’t go to Macy’s

Especially don’t go to Walmart or those other scary places of crazy videos where people are stampeded and beating each other up over a TV and video games!

And don’t make promises you can’t keep

Tryptophan Coma Out.

~ jason

Jason Hewlett, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, is a Keynote Speaker for the largest corporate events in the world. His primary message, The Promise, is essential for Leadership, Management, Sales, Marketing, Direct-Sales Companies, and is a combination of engagement and entertainment meets inspiration. Jason has even received standing ovations from IT guys. He has been acknowledged as life-changing by Conference Attendees, C-Level Executives and Hollywood Elite. jasonhewlett.com

Please click here to learn about how Jason Hewlett, Speaker Hall of Fame, introduces the opportunity for you, or someone you love, to have the gift of learning how to create a Career From the Stage and begin moving toward fulfilling a lifelong dream as a full-time speaker, performer, or entertainer.